Surgical saw blades commonly used in orthopaedic surgery to cut bone are generally connected to a powered surgical instrument through some type of clamping arrangement wherein a portion of the blade is clamped between portions of the instrument. Therefore, a portion of the instrument is positioned on each side of the blade. If the surgical site is large enough, as would be the case in a hip or knee joint replacement, this is generally not a problem. However, if the surgery involves the small bones in the hand or is maxillofacial or otherwise involves small bones and a small surgical sight, space is at a premium. Having a clamp member extending beyond the hub of the blade may be undesirable and make the instrument difficult to use.